What does “winter” or “the holidays” mean to you? Maybe snow angels? Maybe partying it up on New Year’s? Maybe all the resolutions you failed to keep in 2010?
Regardless, we want to see it! We want to see what “winter” (specifically, December through February) means to you, whether it’s the holidays, New Year’s, even Valentine’s Day! You just might get your photo into the next issue of Audrey Magazine!
Submit your photos that in some way reflect the Asian American experience as well as the theme of “winter.” You don’t have to be a pro, so submit your photo by October 15, 2010. To submit, please see instructions below.
We’re looking forward to seeing your work!
Submissions
Images should be in digital jpeg format, at least 300 dpi resolution and 2400 pixels on the long end. Along with each image, please include your name, location and an explanation of how your image relates to the theme. Only submit photos that you’ve taken yourself. Please do not digitally alter your photos, besides cropping and applying basic tonal adjustments. Send your photos to EDITOR@audreymagazine.com, maximum three entries per person.
Legal & Releases
By submitting, you are granting Audrey Magazine permission to publish your submitted photos online and/or in print with your photo credit. You must be 18 or older to submit; if you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian can submit on your behalf. We cannot accept photos of “recognizable” people in your photograph without a personal release signed by the person, authorizing our publication of the photo.
We were excited for former Audrey contributor Shannon Goss when she landed a (dream) gig writing for ER, but sad to see her leave for greener (and well-paid) pastures. Now that ER has ended, she’s back to sharing her writing skills with us, this time with a regular column looking into her life as a writer, a hapa Asian American, and all-around modern woman.
I was asked to kick off my bi-weekly columns with an introductory piece. For anyone who has visited my website knows, I’m not big on the “About Me” page.
So what follows is an essay, which is my veiled attempt to get you – the reader – to like me, read me and clamor for more.
One of my high school classmates was convinced that I, with my non-white skin, was not an American. He was equally convinced that my fair-skinned best friend was. He was wrong.
My nationality? American.
My best friend? A green card-holding Canadian.
My ethnicity, which he confused with my nationality, is half Japanese; the other half equal parts Irish, Scottish, English and Welsh. In Hawaii, where I was born, I am known as a hapa, that is, a “half.”
Despite growing up in small town Oregon (read: not a Japanese restaurant in sight), I identify more with my Japanese side than my British Isles side, thus writing for Audrey magazine and not, say, Irish Lass Monthly.
My annoyance over the misuse of “ethnicity” and “nationality” probably has to do with the fact that I was raised by parents who were teachers. In our house, words and how you used them mattered. This supports the life assumption that we can blame pretty much anything on our parents.
Fear of abandonment? Thanks, Mom and Dad. Although in my case a little unwarranted considering I’m basing this entirely on the time I thought my parents boarded a cable car without me. Spoiler alert: They didn’t, something I realized after successfully chasing down the trolley with no money to pay my fare, what
with me being 8-years-old and all.
Inability to wake up early? Totally my parents’ fault, despite my mom’s best efforts to wake me from my teenage slumber by threatening to spray me with a water bottle and/or sing Chinese opera (she is neither Chinese nor an opera singer).
Comical confusion between rights and lefts? I want to blame this on my parents because I don’t know how else to explain my consistent ability to say, “turn left” when I mean, “turn right.” My boyfriend has accepted this as one of my adorable (my word) foibles despite the fact that when I make this error he’s generally at
the wheel of a moving automobile.
In my parents’ defense, however, I also take responsibility for my hang-up about words because I am a writer. Most of the time word choice is a matter of taste. Was she agitated or incensed? Overjoyed or jubilant? This changed while on the writing staff of the show ER where one wrong word could be the difference between life and death (in a fake TV show way).
So yes, words and how they are used matter to me. But hopefully not in a pretentious, you want to punch me in the face way. More of a I’m-laughing-with-you-because-you-misused-the-word-“literally” way.
– Shannon Goss
Why? Why?????
Why can’t we just all get along?
My heart is breaking.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/bias_charge_is_considered_for.html
Who went to our Audrey’s Night Out last week? (If you missed out, read about it here and here.)
If you were lucky enough to be there, you saw Carol Chen’s C.C. Couture line on the catwalk. Well, good thing we’ve got your back, cuz whether you were at Audrey’s Night Out or not, we have three C.C. Couture pieces to give away to our oh-so lucky readers!
White tweed coat with crystal and satin pleating embellishment. Size S available.
C.C. Couture was started by Carol Chen, who first came to Audrey‘s attention as the first Asian American Miss San Francisco. Back then, she talked of her aspirations of becoming a designer, and now she has!
A puff collar, precise pleating and satin takes this coat from day to evening in a snap. Size S available.
As you can see, Chen creates modern-chic pieces for the uptown girl. I love the way a coat can practically be a dress, and vice versa.
Button this up for a chic coat dress; open, it's a sleeveless jacket you can throw over anything for instant polish. Size XS available.
For all our usual giveaway participants, listen up! The rules to win have changed!
@audreymagazine is trying to get up to 500 followers by the end of October. So, we’re giving the coats away to three tweeters who can get us the most followers by Wednesday, October 6, 11:59 p.m. Simply get your friends to follow @audreymagazine and tweet: “@(YOUR TWITTER NAME) told me to follow @audreymagazine for this awesome giveaway.” We’ll count up the tweeter with the most @mentions and award them the coats. And, you must have a U.S. mailing address to win. Good luck!
When a review copy of the latest release from Variance Films, Ip Man, crossed my desk last month, I sighed. “Another Asian martial arts movie.” Even the name was odd. But then Assistant Editor Janice Jann told me that she had seen it and it was really good. In fact, her cousin was in it, she said.
And not as a kung fu extra, either. Nope — Janice’s cousin was the star, Donnie Yen himself.
Hiroyuki Ikeuchi as Colonel Miura and Donnie Yen as Ip Man.
Now we had profiled Donnie Yen back in our early days, when Jackie Chan was the go-to man in Hollywood for anything martial arts. Little did most Americans realize that the man behind much of the martial arts stunts and choreography coming out of Hong Kong was Donnie Yen.
Today, Yen is a bona fide martial arts star in this critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning film. Not only did the film break box office records all across Asia, it won Best Film and Best Action Choreography at the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards, and Best Action Choreography at the 46th Golden Horse Film Awards (China’s Oscars). It was so successful, a sequel, Ip Man 2, will release in January 2011.
Directed by Wilson Yip, with choreography by Sammo Hung (remember his CBS series Martial Law, starring Arsenio Hall, in the ’90s?), Ip Man tells the true story of the grandmaster of the Wing Chun school of martial arts and mentor to no other than Bruce Lee himself. In the 1930s, Master Ip (Donnie Yen) has it made — with a beautiful family and a impeccable home in the bustling town of Fo Shan, Ip lives a life of leisure, spending his days honing his Wing Chun martial arts skills.
But when the Japanese invade China in the Sino-Japan war (1937), Ip and the rest of his townsmen are rendered destitute. When the Japanese Colonel Miura (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), fascinated with Chinese martial arts, sees Ip’s skills and tries to force him to teach Wing Chun to his soldiers, Ip must face the most intense challenge to his training, for both the honor of his family and the honor of his country.
Ip Man's wife, Cheung, played by Huang Yi.
While the action sequences are awe-inspiring, even to this non-martial arts fan, it’s the heartbreaking story of a brutal, cruel time that really appealed to this viewer. The muted, sepia’d tone of the latter half of the film starkly contrasted with the brilliant hues and vibrancy of the first half, a clear reflection of the earlier, happier days of Fo Shan.
You can catch the original, uncut and undubbed (with English subtitles) Hong Kong version in New York at The Cinema Village starting tomorrow, Friday, October 1. The film releases nationally thereafter.
For more info, check out www.ipmanmovie-us.com.
Photos courtesy of Well Go USA/Variance Films.
For skin as clear as Shu Pei Qin's, read on.
I love what Brits call pimples: Spots. It makes it sound so benign, almost cute.
“Oh, you’ve got a spot.”
“Really? Let me brush it off.”
If only it were that easy.
We Americans have slightly more aggressive terms for those little suckers: Zit, Acne, Eruption, Blemish, Bacteria-clogged Pustules. Ew.
From 21 to 41, we all suffer from those miserable little “spots.” And now that it’s back-to-school, back-to-work, or just plain back-to-life, you’ll want to put your best face forward. Thankfully, the editors, staff and interns at Audrey have tried our share of acne treatments. So here are some that actually work.
For sensitive skin:
Boscia Willow Bark Breakout Treatment.
Camelia says she’s allergic to everything. “I’m lucky enough to have both sensitive skin and a million allergies to basically everything under the sun,” she says, “so when I find beauty products that won’t irritate my skin or give me hives, I can’t help but jump for joy.” Camelia tried out Boscia’s Willow Bark Breakout Treatment and has declared it her “new best friend.”
“It comes out of the bottle as a light, clear gel so I don’t have to worry about my pores being clogged; definitely a plus when I’m out and about in the warm weather,” says Camelia, who is based in the high humidity city of Chicago.
The Willow Bark Treatment is preservative-free and contains Vitamins E and C that fight free radicals and prevent future breakouts. The willow herb also helps to calm inflammation and the soapberry peel (rich in saponin) purifies and heals the skin.
Get it at Sephora or at Boscia’s website.
For stubborn spots:
Han has generally clear skin. But occasionally she’ll get that one stubborn spot. Here’s what she had to say about Murad Acne Spot Treatment.
Murad Acne Spot Treatment.
“I had just gotten back from Chicago and New York for some vacay time, and thanks to all the yummy but heart-clogging food my friends had treated me, I was breaking out. Not like gross junior-high-I-just-hit-puberty breaking out, but my skin wasn’t as nice as it usually was.
“There was one particular blemish, though tiny, that was bugging me. It was the only blemish as my skin had only turned a little irregular in color, so I focused all my attention on getting rid of it. Soap, astringents, and easing off the junk food did nothing.
“I put a tiny dot of Murad Acne Spot Treatment Step 2: Treat/Repair on my finger and gingerly applied it after washing up. Crawling into bed, I hoped that something would happen.
“The next morning, it was gone! What had been a bump had disappeared. Pleased, I treated myself to a sundae.
“Sometimes, there are such things as miracles.”
Get it here.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI intensive acne spot treatment.
For hormonal pimples:
It’s simply not fair to have to deal with wrinkles, discoloration and pimples. Not fair at all. (Fifty percent of adult women deal with acne.) And while I’m still shaking my fist at the complexion gods, at least they sent a salve called La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment. With 5 percent benzoyl peroxide (twice as much as most over-the-counter treatments) to zap zits, Effaclar AI also contains lipo-hydroxy acid, a pro-exfoliating molecule designed to micro-exfoliate the skin and stimulate cell renewal. What does that mean? Less residual dark spots and more even skin tone. What it means to me is my spot diminishes twice as fast and with less pain and torture.
It’s now available online at their official website.
Glytone Acne Treatment Gel.
For heavy duty zit whacking:
One of the benefits (or downsides — you decide) of being married to an editor is you get to be the guinea pig for all manner of beauty products. The husband of a certain editor (who shall remain nameless, but really, it’s not hard to figure out) still gets that occasional angry pimple. (He sleeps on his face, uses all sorts of waxes and sprays on his long-ish hair — no big surprise.) So we pulled out the big guns for him: Glytone Acne Treatment Gel with 10% benzoyl peroxide. Ten percent! Needless to say, it does the job, but to prevent overdrying, use it for your occasional, super-angry spot.
The whole shebang:
If you need or want more than just an occasional spot treatment, go with what one editor swears by. The packaging may not be oh-so pretty, but Clearogen does the job. A three-step acne treatment and prevention system addresses both the causes and symptoms of hormonal and stress-induced acne. Created by board certified dermatologist Dr. Alex Khadavi, Clearogen attacks DHT (dihydro-testosterone) which causes oil glands to become overactive. Clinical studies show a 95 percent success rates, with results seen in as little as 30 days. Our editor swears it’s the first system that’s ever prevented a PMS pimple. Now that’s progress.
Clearogen 3-step acne system.
Get the three-piece set (foaming cleanswer, clarifying toner and acne lotion) for $69 at Clearogen.com.
Thanks to Audrey reader Marietta Leung who sent us these lovely photos of herself and the Bryna Nicole bag she won in one of our recent Thank Goodness It’s Free Friday giveaways!
Audrey reader Marietta Leung and the Bryna Nicole "Tall Harlow" bag she won on our Thank Goodness It's Free Friday giveaway!
Here’s what Marietta says:
“I can’t express how much I love Bryna Nicole’s Tall Harlow bag. I’m a lover of neutral colors and the caramel color just makes it the perfect bag for the fall. The bag is made with a soft, velvety leather that makes it really nice to hold. I also like the multiple pockets located outside the bag, which are great for stashing small items like my keys, cell phone, and metrocards. “Tall Harlow” is simply chic and gorgeous. Thanks Bryna Nicole & Audrey Magazine!”
Wanna join the Audrey community? Send us a photo and tell us why you’re an Audrey girl. Also keep an eye out right here for our TGIFree Friday giveaways — we have one every Friday (and we even sneak one in the middle of the week every so often — just to keep you on your toes!)
- Marietta Leung
Audrey contributor Tamae Ishii previously reported on the ever-coveted 3.1 Phillip Lim spring 2011 show. Here, she reports on the Spring/Summer 2011 presentation of Andy & Debb, designed by Korean husband-and-wife design team, Andy Kim and Debbie Yoon.
The Andy & Debb Spring/Summer 2011 collection was filled with very wearable and covetable pieces reminiscent of the mod look — what Twiggy might have worn back in the 1960s. The looks were streamlined but not severe with miniskirts, short sheath dresses and cropped slim pants in hues of taupe, black, white, dusty pink and slate blue.
Although the silhouettes were simple, the detailing was precise and interesting. The dresses, skirts and jackets with the black silk interlocking loop overlays were of particular interest. There was also a psychedelic tie-dye shift dress that popped with color and felt more modern than hippie. Overall there were many pieces in this collection that would be a great addition to any girls wardrobe!
– Story and photos by Tamae Ishii.
For more looks, keep reading.
The Korean husband-and-wife team behind Andy & Debb.
Here she is!
Ask Audrey contributor, relationship expert and all-around amazing Audrey It-Girl Mayleen Ramey has been bopping around the world for her new gig on the Tennis Channel. Talk about a dream job!
Mayleen’s been with Audrey practically from the beginning, but she’s been a bit busier than usual of late. The Chinese-French American not only hosts and produces Destination Tennis, a travel show on Tennis Channel, she is also an entertainment correspondent for E! News Now and host/producer for entertainment news website, Radar Online. Oh, she co-hosts Red Bull’s Pushing Boundaries on the CW, too. Phew!
Mayleen’s latest romp has been to the Bahamas (again, hello dream job!). Here are Mayleen’s top five picks on the “land of perpetual June.”
Fave Place to Stay– One & Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island
Mayleen Ramey at the One & Only Resort, Bahamas.
Nothing combines the beauty of Bahamian beaches with ultimate luxury like this resort. I adore the simple elegance of the plantation-style architecture and unsurpassed attention to detail. From the private treatment villas at the spa to a gorgeous Versailles-inspired gardens, this resort fuses together elements of splendor and relaxation from around the world, truly living up to its name.
Highlights: personal hammocks, the beach (look at the water!), adults-only pool for peace & quiet, access to Atlantis Water Park for some big-kid fun! And, of course, the world-class spa…private treatment VILLAS, hellooo!
…
Local Grub Spot– Arawak Cay, Nassau
Stone Crab House.
Known to locals as “the fish fry,” Arawak Cay is an unassuming strip of restaurants where Nassau residents and well-informed foodies come for authentic, no-frills Bahamian flavor. I headed to The Stone Crab House for a cornucopia of conch– conch fritters, cracked conch, conch salad … oh yeeeah! Wash it down with my local drink of choice, Sky Juice (a strong mixture of gin, coconut water & sweet milk) for a true taste of the islands that will send you soaring with joy amongst the puffy white Caribbean clouds.
About half a million pounds of conch is consumed in the Bahamas each year. It’s a delicious island staple that’s rumored to be an aphrodisiac, and must be tried! But if it’s your first time, my general rule about conch is– taste it before you actually see it. Once it’s chopped up, battered or fried, you’ll have no idea that the tasty dish you’re consuming is quite possibly one of the ugliest sea creatures on the planet!
…
Wine & Dine Splurge– Graycliff, Nassau
Graycliff, Nassau.
This historic mansion, transformed into the Caribbean’s first 5-star restaurant, is famous for its sophisticated Bahamanian-inspired cuisine and 250,000 bottle wine cellar (3rd largest in the world). But the 6th shining star at Graycliff is Chef Elijah Bowe, a larger-than-life personality whose charisma and charm is as abundant as the magnificent flavor in his dishes. I had the honor of cooking alongside Chef Elijah at Table One, a demonstration and private dining area in his kitchen. This was one of the most memorable and fun experiences of my life! We (ahem, yes I assisted) whipped up stone crab in a lovely cream saffron sauce and feasted on a number of foodgasmic Chef Elijah creations, plus bottles of heavenly wine and a 6-way dessert sampler. Oh, what a night!
…
Sealife Encounter– UNEXO Dolphin Experience, Grand Bahama Island
UNEXO Dolphin Experience.
Get up-close and personal with these magnificent sea creatures in their natural environment. I was amazed by the physical strength, calming demeanor and intensely-focused intelligence of these gorgeous dolphins. UNEXO Underwater Explorers Society also offers shark encounters, as well as scuba and wreck diving. Fun for nature-lovers and kids of all ages!
…
Sounds & Sunset– Bikini Bottom Bar & Grill, Grand Bahama Island
Bikini Bottom Bar & Grill.
Nothing feels more right than being on an island and watching a glorious sunset, while live Caribbean music fills the air. My favorite spot on Grand Bahama is Bikini Bottom, a casual place with the coolest Rake ‘n’ Scrape band in town– the Island Boys. Rake ‘n’ Scrape is an genre of music that originated in the Bahamas with distinct sounds created by goat skin drums and scraping a hair pick along a carpenter saw. It instantaneously fills you with funk, happiness and the overwhelming urge to get up and dance! I had to opportunity to learn how to play the instruments and jam out with The Island Boys, probably not the most enjoyable experience for the customers that night, but something I will never ever forget. Rake and scrape, yaaaaaw!
Photos courtesy of Mayleen Ramey.
Shu Pei Qin in 3.1 Phillip Lim, spring 2011.
Audrey contributor Tamae Ishii attended the 3.1 Phillip Lim show during New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Here, she gives us an inside look.
The 3.1 Phillip Lim show was held at the cavernous venue that is the Park Avenue Armory — a favorite of the young and fashionable, including notable attendee Kanye West dressed in a bright fuchsia blazer.
The theme was “Puzzles,” which was exemplified by the giant white puzzle pieces that were strategically placed along the wide runway.
The predominant colors in Lim’s Spring 2011 collection were his trademark neutrals — camel, black, taupe
and white — with a touch of azure blue as an accent.
There was plenty of layering and asymmetry going on, but ultimately Lim showed a lot of very wearable, city-chic looks that will be popular with the hip crowd come spring.
Phillip Lim takes a bow.
– Story and photos by Tamae Ishii
